Farewell to the Fairyland.

This article I wrote immediately after my graduation from IUT. In my little life IUT has a robust impact. It was very difficult for me to leave IUT after graduation. From that hollow feelings I wrote this article. It was first published in ROOTS, the annual publication of IUTAA in 2006. I was almost forgotten about this writing. While rearranging my book shelves I got the first issue of ROOTS which reminded me about this article. I think I should share this article with my readers. That’s why it is in my blog after a so long time. By the way all these pictures of IUT were taken by me… 🙂

‘Once upon a time, there was a small country with enormous beauty. In that country, there is a fairyland where little fairies from various countries were studied to become a proper perfect fairy…’ this could be the starting of this story, as it looks like a fairy tale to me. But for me this story is going to be finished. It is the end of an era. A chapter of my life is drawing to totally close. I could not believe that I have finished my Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree. To be precisely on September 3, 2006 at 12:30 pm, I had appeared my very last exam, marking the end of my undergraduate ‘career’. After finishing the exam, when I stepped out of the exam hall, I felt that the 20 years old buildings of IUT were looking at me with a silent pride. Every step seemed me as though I was turning over the last few pages of the most enriched chapter of my life. Instead of joy suddenly my heart was filled with a tacit mourn. I could not take my lunch; my whole memory was flushed with the last four years. My memory swept me to a day, four years ago, when I entered to the IUT with a smell of a fresher …

Front view of IUT

THE SCARLET REALM
During my 1st year in Notre Dame College, one of my relatives first mentioned me the name of Islamic University of Technology (IUT). He gave me a rough sketch of the enriched faculties, the organized environment for study and of course the beautiful scenery of IUT. But those things did not attract me, which attracted me most is the abbreviated name I-U-T. What a sweet–cute-little name! From then I dreamt to be an IUTIAN.

Red is everywhere

I first saw IUT in IUT’s official website and the result was a deeper feeling to get in touch of IUT. But the harder fact is IUT is in Gazipur, which means to visit IUT an inter-district travel was necessary. in that time this was really a very tough task for me to go to Gazipur. Also I heard that non-IUTIANS are not allowed to get inside IUT (as it is a diplomatic zone). These matters delayed my first step in IUT.

I stepped into IUT for the first time when I passed my HSC exam and gathered required result to get admission in IUT. “Love at first sight” – yeah, I believe it. This happened to me when I first saw IUT. At the very first moment I knew that IUT is the “place” for me. I was stunned with the unspoken beauty of IUT. This is indeed a paradise – my mind was ticking. The vast green field with red brick build structure can simply turn any one stupefies.

The RED PLANET! Yeah, we often call IUT in that name. It is really “RED”. Wherever you see in IUT, you see only two colors – Red and Green. All the red buildings are the result of Artistic Turkish Architecture. Even the street and the sidewalks are also red. Red is everywhere! These red buildings proudly announce the glory and allurement of IUT as well as the IUTIANS. And the green fields and the Tree Park proclaim the tranquility of this Red Planet. Actually, IUT is a piece of “fairyland” in this earth.

Gate of Five Fundamentals

LIFE IN IUT

As a first year student, I got seat in the room no. 521 of the South Hall of Residence. My roommates were my ex-college friends Shahan, Saad and Eemon. In 5th level of South Hall, there were four rooms of first year students in our block. Life in IUT was a life that I had never experienced. It was like a dream.

I cannot forget my first morning in IUT for the rest of my life. That was 12th January 2003, Sunday. I woke up at 7:30 am and to my horror my room was totally dark. I could see nothing. I put my table lamp on and suddenly I realized that thick fog covered the whole IUT! I as well as my roommates wore heavy jumpers, woolen caps and gloves and then stepped out of the room. Our destination is the Central Cafeteria for breakfast. When we reached the 1st level of the South Hall, we could not see the objects, which were at a distance of two or three hands. The dew continuously dropped on my face. It was a sterling idea I have ever had.

Student center was a memorable episode of my IUT life. It was the source of the news of all kind of sports. European Champion league or World Cup Football, Tri-nation Cricket Series or World Cup Cricket; the entire time student center was packed with the students. It is a place where there is no difference among the seniors and juniors. All the people cry out with joy or weep in silent together.

Evening beauty of IUT

ADDA IN IUT

To some people, Adda is an essential part of IUT life. And I can assure you that you will find very few people denying this. This is a relief for the students to escape from the monotonous of the study, laboratory works, home assignments, quiz etc. Our favorite adda place was the embankment wall of the IUT Lake. At night when gentle breeze was flowing, no one could avoid the adda in that place. Sometimes we went to the roof, especially at the moonlit night and spent hours after hours there.

If you classified the IUT adda as gossiping, you are wrong. It is not limited only in gossiping but also in watching movie together, singing in chorus even in the mid-night or taking tea in a group. For an IUTIAN, adda occupies a huge place in his IUT life.

THE RAINBOW NATION

In a true sense, IUT is a rainbow nation. Students from fifty-eight nations gather here for quality education. Thus IUT grows with a multicultural environment. This fact reflects during our Annual Cultural Night. In that function, the entire ceremony is divided in to several parts according to the different nations. And students from different countries represent their national culture. It is, actually a great way to know other country and their activities.

20th CONVOCATION

September 18, 2006, Sunday, was our graduation day- a dream of every graduating student. We were certified by IUT as a graduate. From then we are the engineers. This is the 20th convocation of IUT. All the delegate personalities related to the IUT, were presented there in that ceremony. Her Excellency Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, enlightened the chair of Chief Guest of that ceremony. Also Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Minister for Science and Information and Technology was present there. His Excellency Prof. Dr. Ikmeleddin Ihsanoglu; Secretary General,OIC and Chancellor of IUT could not attend the convocation. His speech is delivered by Dr. Razley Bin Mohammad Nordin who is the Director General of The Department of Science and Technology of OIC as well a the General Secretariat of OIC. The university authority also invited the parents of the graduated students. At night, there was a dinner in honor of the new graduates. In that dinner General Secretariat of OIC, Vice Chancellor of IUT, Members of IUT Governing Board, High Commissioners and Ambassadors from different countries, Member of the Academic Council and the Staff Members of IUT were joined with the new graduates.

FairyLand in Earth

PROUD TO BE AN IUTIAN

As the convocation came to an end, the time became pathetic for us. It is hard to express the feeling; the feeling of leaving the pantheon IUT, the feeling of missing the beauty of IUT, the feeling of missing the golden sun rays playing on the red structure, the feeling of not going to the class any more, feeling of not participating in any quiz or exam, feeling of missing the Hall life, the feeling of being separated from my friends – so much feeling in a little life. For the last four years IUT was in the every particles of my blood. I don’t know how can I live without IUT. Suddenly I discovered a new “me” inside myself. I am an IUTIAN. I must follow the path of the senior IUTIANS, which they had built for the juniors like me. A day will come when someone will be driven to the path shown by me. I will make IUT and the IUTIANS proud – this is a commitment from an IUTIAN.